Fashion model Barbara Stanwyck is making $50 a week. Aspiring but as-yet-unsuccessful engineer Gene Raymond is only making $25 but wants her to marry him and quit her job and stay at home. Like a dummy, she lets herself be talked into it. Presumably in 1936 some viewers would have been sympathetic to Raymond's insistence that "No wife of mine is going to work." That's not the problem with this movie. The problem is that Raymond's character is pushy and arrogant and we just don't see any sparks between him and Stanwyck that would make us believe that she could find him tolerable, much less irresistible. Anyway, Stanwyck stays home and keeps house, eventually getting behind on the bills to the point where she secretly goes out and starts modeling again. The bills are getting paid now and she can even afford to hire Hattie McDaniel to come in and cook.... But what will happen if Raymond finds out that she's working? Oh my. Solid supporting actors do their best to cheer things up but they don't have much to work with. Ned Sparks and Helen Broderick play the wisecrack-spouting old married couple who hang out with Stanwyck and Raymond. Robert Young is a rich drunken playboy who hangs around trying to help. Unfortunately, the strong cast and decent production values just can't keep this picture moving...it's one of those that seems longer than its 81 minutes.

New York model Barbara Stanwyck (as Carolyn) marries up-and-coming engineer Gene Raymond (as Michael Martin) and reluctantly gives up her career. The couple agrees to the "traditional" marriage, with the woman talking care of the house while the man works. When they are unable to make ends meet, Ms. Stanwyck offers to go back to work, but Mr. Raymond refuses. To complicate matters, Stanwyck arouses the interests of alcoholic department store owner Robert Young (as Hugh McKenzie)...Should Stanwyck try a relationship with the perpetually tipsy Mr. Young or stick with husband Raymond - only time will tell… Raymond gets deadpan comic support from Ned Sparks (as Paul Dodson) while Stanwyck converses with his wife Helen Broderick (as Mattie) and "mammy"-type maid Hattie McDaniel (as Mamie), who is scripted to foolishly mangle a quote from Abraham Lincoln. Billy Gilbert does his bit as an "Acme" furniture man and Charles Lane holds court, but nothing really lifts this comedy.*** The Bride Walks Out (7/10/36) Leigh Jason ~ Barbara Stanwyck, Gene Raymond, Robert Young, Ned Sparks

You would think that with Barbara Stanwyck, Gene Raymond and Robert Young that this would be a top-notch production--after all, at the time, all were top star--especially Stanwyck. However, despite the cast's best efforts, this was a very, very flawed movie--thanks to terrible writing. The problem is that the characters are generally unlikable and often behave in ways that just don't make any sense. And, considering that I love films from this era in Hollywood, it says a lot when I am this critical of "The Bride Walks Out".The film begins with Raymond and Stanwyck thinking about marriage. Considering that there is no chemistry at all between them and they spend all their time arguing, when they go off to get married you can't help but wonder why! They seem to have nothing in common plus Raymond seems to live in complete denial about reality. While he goes through jobs right and left and is paid only $35 a week (not much by 1936 standards), he insists that when they marry that she MUST stay home and not work! As for Stanwyck, once she gets married (in the least romantic wedding scene ever filmed), she, too, learns to live in complete denial about reality. Though his paycheck is tiny, they live way outside their means and Stanwyck never mentions that they can't pay their bills--she pretends she's not only paid them off regularly but is putting money in the bank! Why?! Eventually, to bail them out of their financial mess, a rich guy (Young) pays off their debts and gives them money to live in a manner to which they simply should not be accustomed. Why would Young do this? It's obvious he's in love but she never reciprocated and it all makes him seem like a super-sap! Eventually when Raymond discovers Young's generosity, he stomps out--and they file for divorce! Huh?! Since this is a post-Code film, you know that somehow by the end Raymond and Stanwyck will get back together. But considering they both seem like idiots and demonstrate no love towards each other, you wonder why the heck the audience should care--I know I didn't.In addition to the three leads, Ned Sparks and Helen Broderick are their for comic relief. However, for the most part, these two very snappy actors are given amazingly insipid lines and rarely are they particularly comical--when, with decent writing, they should be fun.Oh, and in addition, there are a couple places in the film where the audience is told that a real man beats his wife every now and then! The first time occurs at the marriage license bureau when a cop tells Raymond and Stanwyck to stop arguing and that if he (Raymond) wants to beat her, it's okay with him as long as he waits to do it at home! Later, Stanwyck even suggests that if Raymond was a real man he get mad and slap her! Wow...Overall, this film consists of impossible to believe and irrational characters from start to finish. They often come off as immature, selfish and very annoying. The film looks nice since it's a big studio production and some stars who were quite capable...and makes practically nothing with this! A big wasted opportunity.

Pure romantic comedy that doesn't hit every mark, but is well worth it. If you loved Palm Beach Story, you'll at least like this.Story of fashion-model married to $35/week surveyor, failing to make ends meet. He won't let her work, but she does anyway. She's tempted by rich playboy Robert Young. He's egged on by wife-hating Ned Sparks. Sparks, who delivers every line around a cigar stub, and Billy Gilbert, the repo man, steal every scene they are in.Husband's refusal to see wife's point of view makes him look stupid, which was not the intent. Guess how it turns out? True lovers of this period have to learn to overlook this kind of sexism, I'm afraid.